


The Good in the People (Who See the Good in Me)

by TessaVice



Category: Sorted (Website) RPF
Genre: M/M, Mike is really oblivious, So fluffy it's cotton candy, secret crushes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:00:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25388680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TessaVice/pseuds/TessaVice
Summary: James’ own ice cream is melting in the bowl, but he doesn’t dare eat it until they both have some. He doesn’t even mind too much because the way Mike’s face lights up with his new cone makes the whole thing completely worthwhile.
Relationships: James Currie/Mike Huttlestone
Comments: 2
Kudos: 46





	The Good in the People (Who See the Good in Me)

**Author's Note:**

> This is all because James calling them silly monkeys is the most endearing thing ever.

i.

The kitchen is hot and Barry and Jamie are bouncing around working on their own dishes while all Mike wants is 90 seconds to pause and refocus. He’s trying to julienne these carrots to pickle and they’re coming out so chunky. If throwing his knife wouldn’t get him in serious trouble (and very likely fired. Can he be fired?), he would consider it.

James is pacing around the edge of the set, trying to watch three maniacs at once. It’s no easy task. From behind he can see the set of Mike’s shoulders, the tenseness in his arms. He circles around and notices the mess of carrots on the worktop. The camera is focused on Barry who’s going on about some trip to Italy, so James steps closer, keeping his voice low, calm.

“You need to change how you hold the knife.”

Mike looks up and grits his teeth. He should put a damn bell on this man, the stupid ninja. 

“Here, try this.” James is gentle as he moves Mikes hands into place, extending his index finger along the back of the knife. “This gives you more control, you’ll get better slices. Now relax your grip, just a bit.” Mike forces his fingers to loosen around the handle, his shoulders following suit. 

Grabbing another peeled carrot he tries again, this time managing thin, even strips. He looks up at James, an easy smile spreading over his face. James’ breath catches slightly, the sound lost in the din. “You’re the best, mate,” Mike says, his focus returning to the task at hand. “I was about to go mental over some stupid carrots.”

“You just need to remember to take your time,” James replies lightly. “Silly monkey.”

ii.

It’s been a long day of shooting in Oregon, most of it spent on boats catching fresh crabs. The crabs were delicious and they’re all a little sunburnt and a lot drowsy with sun and fresh air. They find an ice cream shop near the beach and wander in, all five of them, looking at the flavors available. They take turns, Mike hemming and hawing until he settles on the perfection combination. 

It’s cooler now as the sun sets and they make their way to the beach. The coast is rocky and the air is tinged with salt and Mike is briefly reminded of home in a way he wasn’t expecting. It’s nice like this, just the group of them, no cameras, no one needing to be “on” for the viewers. They talk about work, sure, but also stories from growing up, Jamie mentioning how he sees something in Evie that reminds him of something he would do as a kid. Ben talks about how this trip reminds him of another (did you know he’s been to Japan?) and James just listens to them all.

Mike takes a breath, excited to start in on his ice cream. One lick...and the whole thing topples into the sand. The look on his face makes James realize how he must have looked as a child, all big eyes and that wild blond hair. He honestly wonders for a second if Mike is going to cry. Instead he lets lose a string of words that would make the most hardened sailor blush and James looks around to make sure there are no children in earshot. 

“Silly monkey,” he says, shaking his head. It’s hard not to smile at Mike’s distress and James has to fight the urge to brush the hair out of his eyes. “Let’s go buy you another one.” They leave the others on the beach as the cross back over, Mike still pouting slightly. James’ own ice cream is melting in the bowl, but he doesn’t dare eat it until they both have some. He doesn’t even mind too much because the way Mike’s face lights up with his new cone makes the whole thing completely worthwhile. 

iii.

It’s late and the studio is empty. Should be empty. James just finished a climbing session at the gym nearby and realized he’s left his phone on his desk. Might as well just go back and get it now rather than wait until the morning. He lets himself into the office, pausing as he sees the glow coming from the desks so he walks softly over. Mike is...well, he’s not quite standing, not quite sitting. 

He had gotten one of those standing desks awhile back, thinking it would be better for him. He even used it sometimes, and tonight was one of those nights. They were filming earlier and he caught this amazing look on Barry’s face and Ben said something that he didn’t really mean to be dirty, but clearly was. Again. MIke is trying to get the edit perfect, cutting between his two friends for maximum hilarity. Trying to get the creative juices flowing and to keep from sitting too long while he worked, he had gone to raise the desk and it had gotten totally and completely stuck. This did not, however, keep him from trying to get the video finished and this is how James found him: hunched over, his back killing him, cursing quietly at the computer.

“What on earth are you doing?” 

Mike jumped at the voice, wincing as he straightened up. “Trying to make Ben look like a complete idiot. It’s not that he needs much help, but I can’t get it right.” He noticed James has changed into his climbing clothes and is looking flushed from exercise, his hair not quite as perfect as it normally is and bites his lip, trying to keep his eyes on the ginger’s face and not his arms. “I’ve almost got it,” he mutters, turning back to the computer.

Crossing the floor, James stands behind him. He hesitates for a second, hands fluttering just above Mike’s lower back before settling there. Pushing his thumbs in, he feels the knot that developed over the last little while of being in such an awkward position. “You’re going to need a doctor if you keep this up.” 

Mike closes his eyes for a moment, savouring the feeling of those hands working his muscles in a slow, rhythmic motion. “I’m almost done, I promise,” he says, biting back a low moan. How long has it been since he let someone touch him like this? It wasn’t really that intimate, but something about the quiet, mostly darkened office and the warmth of James’ breath against his neck had his stomach twisting in knots. 

“Better be,” James says, pulling his hands away. “Silly monkey.” He leans forward, kissing the back of Mike’s head. It’s not the normal loud, theatrical smack they would give each other, but something gentler, sweeter. Mike doesn’t turn as James drifts back to his desk, pockets his phone, and silently leaves the office. He’s still standing there ten minutes later, not working, not moving, but just remembering the feeling of James’ lips on his hair and just how much he liked that.

iv.

James is sprawled out on his sofa, pinching the bridge of his nose and trying to remember to take slow, even breaths. Mike is walking in circles around the coffee table, going on and on about how he can never meet anyone. 

The two had been out with some of the other guys and crew to celebrate Ed’s birthday and Mike was too wired to head home, so he ended up following James back to his flat. And then it started.

“I mean, look at you. You’re a Greek God compared to me. Every single girl in that place was eyeing you up, and half the guys, too. You even got that free drink from the bartender! I don’t get it.” Mike wasn’t really mad at James, or at anyone. It was just pent up frustration and one too many beers that was winding him up. “Even Ben got hit on! And meanwhile poor Mike is just sitting in the corner like Cinderella--wait, no, like one of the ugly, evil stepsisters that no one likes.”

He tries to count to five, but halfway between two and three James pushes himself off the sofa and grabs Mike by the shoulders. “You absolute bloody idiot, Michael. Did you notice how I ignored every single one of those people tonight? How I kept coming ‘round to talk to you? How I always keep coming to talk to you, no matter where we are? It’s because I like you, you moron. I like your stupid face and your stupid hands and your stupid laugh and the way you look when you get worked up about the stupidest things like you are right now!”

It came out too fast and too loud but he can’t take it back now. They just stand there, James looking like he wants a hole to open up in the floor so he can drop straight through and Mike looking like his whole world has suddenly turned inside out. “I like you, too,” he finally says, head tilting up. “Which is why I get so stupidly worked up, as you say, about things like this.”

James lets out a sound between a laugh and a gasp and pulls Mike closer, searching for his mouth with his own. The kiss is tentative at first, searching, as James moves his hands up to cup Mike’s face. Finally he breaks, his forehead leaning against Mike’s.

“Well why didn’t you just say so, you silly monkey?”

**Author's Note:**

> Ice cream story from the Feast Your Ears S10 E10.
> 
> Title from Long Distance Running by Matt Nathanson.


End file.
